Various storage protocols for communicating with storage devices are known in the art. One example storage protocol is the Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) protocol. A protocol called Advanced Host Controller Interface (AHCI) specifies the exchange of data between host system memory and attached storage devices using the SATA protocol.
SATA is specified, for example, in “Serial ATA International Organization: Serial ATA Revision 3.0,” Jun. 2, 2009, which is incorporated herein by reference. AHCI is specified, for example, in “Serial ATA Advanced Host Controller Interface (AHCI),” revision 1.3, Jun. 26, 2008, which is incorporated herein by reference.